"I am at your service immediately;" and taking their hats, the two young men walked out to the linden grove, where they were soon seated on a rustic bench.
[CHAPTER V.]
IMPULSE VERSUS PRUDENCE.
TWO hours passed. Hiram had gone to attend his young mistress home as usual, when, Hannah, whose anxiety was almost more than she could endure, heard Gertrude's step on the piazza.
"Are you alone and in the dark?" the young girl asked petulantly. "Well I must say, I do like people to keep their promises. Where are all the people?"
In the moonlight Hannah could see that her darling wore an ugly pout and that her cheeks were crimson. Trying to steady her voice, she answered:
"Edward and Mr. Dudley went out together, directly after you did, and I have not seen them since."
"Did you find Mr. Monroe, as agreeable a teacher as usual?" she added presently, as the young girl threw herself listlessly into a chair.
There was no answer, to this; but after a few moments' silence, a sob was heard.
"What is the matter, my poor child?" exclaimed the kind woman, approaching her darling and kissing her forehead. "You're like a child to me, you know; and you wont keep any thing back from one, who loves you better than herself."